Legal News

A federal jury in Boston found that Unum, the nation’s largest disability insurer, had committed fraud in some cases by requiring customers to apply for Social Security benefits even though it knew they were not eligible.

But the verdict, based on a sample of six claims, contained enough ambiguity to leave both sides declaring victory in the case, filed on behalf of the Social Security Administration. In a verdict returned Wednesday, the jury found that two of the disability claims had been fraudulent and three others had showed no evidence of fraud. The jury was unable to reach a decision on the last one. read the original article →

Disability is a policy meant for the self-employed, temporary employees. It is income paid weekly or monthly when one cannot work because of sickness or injury. Workers covered under disability insurance policies must prove that they cannot perform the majority of their present duties to qualify for entire disability status. The disability insurance policy states the terms of disability, policy tenure, and coverage limit.

There are various kinds of disability contracts. Some of the plans are available through the employer’s group health package and some are from private insurers. There are also various public sector programs like Social Security and some State Disability Insurance programs.

Insurance experts advise customers to compare options before taking out a disability insurance policy. The most reasonable costing policies can also be the most restrictive in terms of eligibility and monthly payouts. Individual insurance companies may set their own terms; therefore one should look for precise matter like a significant income percentage payout, a 90 day or less waiting period for benefit eligibility.read the original article →

Driving while drowsy and falling asleep at the wheel are responsible for more deadly crashes than previously thought, according to a new study released on Monday.

An estimated one in six fatal crashes - nearly 17 percent - involves a drowsy driver, which is about four to five times higher than previous studies have found. And drowsy drivers are involved in one in eight crashes that result in serious injury, the report found.read the original article →

Fatal car crashes involving teenage drivers in the U.S. dropped 36 percent as states required more training and seat-belt use rose, a government report said.

Fatal accidents with a 16- or 17-year-old at the wheel fell to 1,437 in 2008, from 2,230 four years earlier, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said today in the Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report. During the five years, 11,019 people died in the wrecks, with the teen drivers themselves making up more than a third of the toll.read the original article →